Selective attention

Selective Attention and Multitasking

People frequently focus for a while on something they think important while disregarding other unimportant events that are happening, a practice known as selective attention. Since it is hard to pay attention to everything at once, this method is utilized to successfully identify important objects in our surroundings. On the other hand, the capacity for people to equally divide attention between different jobs or events is known as multitasking. These tactics are being used more frequently as a result of the development in the number of responsibilities that people have at work (Elnaga 61). Consequently, perceptual biases, which entail discriminating or prejudice based on someone’s appearance – are likely to occur which affects work performance in an organization.

The Impact of Selective Attention in the Workplace

Focusing only on what appeals to our feelings, background or senses can cause adverse outcomes in the workplaces including poor judgment. Selective attention is a cognitive process that enables the mind to store and retain memories and can produce longer lasting effects. It can result in halo effect where focusing so much attention on a single thing which appears to be attractive and extraordinary results in ignoring other factors which are much better. The opposite of it is also inevitable where much attention is directed towards something negative such that you fail to notice the positives and good things that the perceived person can do (Moisala, Salmela and Salo). Application of selective attention in the process of hiring or evaluating employees can result in taking workers who are not performers and leaving out good performers.

Stereotyping and Division in the Workplace

In the workplaces, people are diverse with different abilities and capabilities which requires all employees to tolerate and understand one another. With selective attention, however, it can lead to division and hatred when people choose to only relate with those who are similar to them. It may cause them to discriminate others and perceive them as unequal. Stereotyping in the workplaces can also occur where people are grouped based on either their gender, race, income level or education level. In an organization whose main aim is to promote social well-being or economic development, this vice may hinder them from realizing their goal (Elnaga 64).

The Positive and Negative Impact of Attention in the Organization

Selective and divided attention can result in positive work outcomes which increase productivity in the company. When employees can filter between necessary and unnecessary stimuli in their surroundings successfully, they can focus more energy on a production process that ensures maximum outcomes. Divided attention also provides faster task completion and saves time. On the other hand, however, multitasking can result in significant and minor mistakes out of performing different tasks simultaneously. The human brain makeup cannot play various activities at the exact time but can only alternate from one to the other. Hence confusion can result causing harm to the organization.

Strategies for Promoting Diversity and Reducing Discrimination

Encouraging employees to form workplace affinity groups will improve their networking and promotes awareness about diversity. It will help all employees to understand and appreciate one another reducing chances of discrimination and prejudice. They should not be forced to accept variety but rather be involved in activities that uphold interactions for them to realize the importance by themselves. Training all employees and the managers and directors on diversity will prove helpful in reducing the vice in workplaces. It will also provide a proper forum for them to discuss without fear their differences and diversity orientations.

Works Cited

Elnaga, Amir Abou. “The Impact of Perception on Work behaviour.” Business and Management Review (2012): 56-71.

Moisala, Mona, et al. “Brain activity during divided and selective attention to auditory and visual sentence comprehension tasks.” Frontiers, 19 February 2015, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00086/full. Accessed 04 December 2017.